


Feathers

by apprenticeandfamiliar



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Birblian, F/M, Female Apprentice (The Arcana), Julian Devorak Route - Reversed Ending, Named Apprentice (The Arcana), Some self-indulgent fluff, The familiars make an appearance at the beginning, but it's just hints, with hints of smuts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:27:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26585110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apprenticeandfamiliar/pseuds/apprenticeandfamiliar
Summary: In the Hanged Raven, Miranda wants to take care of Julian.
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	Feathers

The Hanged Raven is silent, for the first time since Miranda got in there. Or at least, the first time that she might remember.

Ariel and Malak are nestled against each other, and protected by Scout, the three of them sleeping and being the picture of calmness.

Miranda, from her part, decides to approach Julian, who is still sitting on his chair, taking care of a tankard of salty bitter.

Miranda's fingers ghost over shiny black feathers and she can almost feel them responding to the promise of her touch.

But she can also see the pain in Julian's expression.

"Does it hurt?" She asks, gentle.

"N-no..." 

But his cheeks are bright red, and he bites his lip enough to draw blood at the same time tears stream down his cheeks, which she cups to make him look up at her, while she brushes her thumb at his swollen, bleeding lip, curing it.

"What's wrong, my love?"

"Nothing..."

"Julian..."

"I... I am afraid I might like this too much."

After a moment of silence, the realisation dawns on her.

"Oh." 

He is afraid to get aroused and end up hurting her in the process. The sole idea of hurting her horrifies him, makes him feel more of a monster.

But she knows him too well, and she gives him soothing kisses on his hollow cheeks and temples before brushing her lips against his.

"You remember that I love you, don't you?"

"Y-Yes..." He manages to say even if she already knows he is thinking about how can she love him when he is not Julian anymore.

"And that you love me."

"More than anyone or anything in this world."

"Then let me be tender with you." She almost orders, and then caresses his cheek. "And let yourself enjoy it."

"But I..." He starts, and she puts her fingertips on his lips.

"Whatever happens, we will solve it when it happens." She whispers before she kisses him, and her fingers descend to his neck, fingertips brushing gently the fine lines between skin and feathers.

It is sweet to see his whole body respond to her touch in such a nice way. For Julian to remember the love she has for him, that even with all that has happened, he is still the same man she fell in love with.

As tempted as Miranda feels to continue her caresses down his chest, she knows the chains are there. And she doesn't want to risk him being afraid again at the idea of her breaking them and leaving him unable to protect her.

Not now that he is finally letting her this close.

So, instead, she moves to the back of his neck, fingertips caressing his feathers in a very light manner.

"Does this hurt?" She asks him

"No..." 

He is blushing again. 

"You look quite handsome, you know," Miranda tells him before pressing several little kisses to the bridge of his nose.

"And you are the most beautiful woman in all the realms." 

She knows that, even if he genuinely believes it, those words are meant to distract her. He is still uncomfortable with the idea of her taking care of him.

But she kisses him and places her fingertips on his lips again.

"The most beautiful woman in all the realms and yours, just yours." She leans down a bit to place a soft kiss to his jaw as her hands wander to his shoulders, just at the point where his wings join his back.

Her fingers bury among the feathers, her touch still careful and gentle. As much as he used to like a certain amount of pain when they were together, and as much as he inflicted pain on himself nowadays, this was not a moment for pain, but for care.

His wings spread, and even if it catches her by surprise, Miranda then notes that it must have been a natural reaction, and from the smile Julian offers her, a smile that is genuine, that has not lost a bit of the charm he has, she knows that he is indeed enjoying it.

So, she comes closer, so close that she is almost straddling his lap, and he rests his head against her shoulder.

"Do you remember when we shared that bath during the Masquerade?" She asks him, as her hands wander idly up and down his back. (Or at least, as much as his wings allow her.)

"Who could forget it..." She can even feel the smile that forms on his lips, even if his words are tinted with longing.

"With you, resting against me, and me running my fingers through your hair..." her hand goes to rest on the back of his head, digging a bit deeper to reach the skin under the feathers and then massage him softly. 

Julian closes his eyes and lets out a sigh, exposing his neck a little more, and Miranda takes the chance to kiss it.

"And then I kissed you." She whispers against his skin and feathers and notices that he is trembling under her. "My Julian, my love..."

A little gasp escapes his lips, and when she looks at him, he steals a kiss from her, and another, and another... Until he has showered her face with kisses and she pretty much melts in his arms.

Julian cups Miranda's cheek, still too careful, but it is a start.

And the way he looks at her, as is she were the sun, still takes her breath away after all this time.

"I guess I am the luckiest of demons."

"The luckiest of men." She corrects him, even if technically, he is not wrong at the moment, but she loathes to ever think of him as a demon. He is her Julian, and we will always be her Julian. "And I am the luckiest of women."

"I will always wonder what good deed I did to deserve you, Miranda."

"I don't know, Julian." She smiles at him, carding her fingers through his feathers. "But there's something I know, I love you, and that will never change."

"I love you too." He smiles at her in return, and they embrace close.

And in that moment, the world feels a bit better.

**Author's Note:**

> \- So yes, pretty much I am back on my bullshit. But I did want to have my apprentice taking care of Julian. So that's pretty much all that it is.


End file.
